Prostitutes move online, behind closed doors making arrests tougher

Sunday

Nov 17, 2013 at 6:00 AM

By Kim Ring, TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

In Worcester, police consistently make more than 150 prostitution-related arrests each year and their undercover operations focus not just on the sellers of sex, but also on those who purchase it, according to Police Chief Gary J. Gemme.

This year, to date, Worcester police have arrested 150 women for selling sex. But when it comes to men arrested on related charges, there have been just 14.

A recent study by the New England Center for Investigative Reporting shows that despite a two-year-old state law that toughened the sentences for johns, those arrested for buying sex in Massachusetts are not being sentenced to pay the minimum $1,000 fine or, in the cases where minors were involved, to serve up to five years in state prison.

In 2012, Worcester arrested 90 women and 31 men on charges related to prostitution, according to statistics provided by the department. It is a quality of life issue for folks living in areas where sex trafficking is more prominent and police sometimes use sting operations to catch those involved in the sex trade.

"Prostitution and the illegal purchase of sex not only negatively impacts the neighborhoods where this activity is taking place, but also the individuals involved in this illegal activity," Chief Gemme said.

While the law is designed to hold johns accountable for buying sex, there are reasons why fewer get caught, police said.

Northboro Detective Sgt. Brian T. Griffin said, "What we're dealing with is a little different from what Worcester has," referring to the motels along Route 9 where prostitutes can get a low-cost room and quickly earn back what they paid before turning a tidy profit.

He said he'd like to see more johns charged and prosecuted, but because the exchanges take place behind closed doors, it isn't as easy as it might seem to catch the scofflaws. The women who sell sex aren't peddling their wares on the street but rather on the Internet, where they post photographs and offerings.

Police monitor the online advertisements and keep an eye on the motels. Recently they arrested a Worcester cabbie who allegedly had sex with two girls, one 16 years old and the other 14.

"She had just turned 14," Detective Sgt. Griffons said.

It is clear that seeing teenagers engaged in prostitution upsets him, especially when the young girls look at him and he sees that they need help.

Equally disturbing are the byproducts of the industry, which Detective Sgt. Griffon argues is not a victimless crime.

"We've had stabbings (related to prostitution)," he said.

In Worcester there are similar issues with related crimes.

"In addition to being exploited, most prostitutes are drug dependent and are also victims of assault and robbery," Chief Gemme said.

Detective Sgt. Griffin said there seem to be more cases of prostitution now than there were a decade ago, before the Internet gained popularity. It puts a strain on police resources but officers do the best they can, he said.

Northboro police talk with those arrested or known to be working as prostitutes to find out what brings them to the area — some come from Rhode Island, Detective Sgt. Gibbons said.

"Some of the girls said they came to the suburbs because they feel safer," he said. "Others have said the pay is better."

Many of the girls work for pimps who police are also targeting for human trafficking.

He believes that imposing tougher sentences on johns could be a deterrent but he doesn't always get to follow up on what happens with the cases he investigates. Most don't go to trial and are settled with plea agreements while he and other investigators are already working on new cases.

"Some of the johns? They know they're going to get away with it," he said. "It's very hard to get caught."

Contact Kim Ring at kring@telegram.com. Follow her on Twitter @kimmring.

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